Lubbock Juvenile Curfew Ordinance to Continue After Unanimous Yes

The Lubbock City Council voted unanimously during Tuesday's, September 27, City Council meeting to continue with the Juvenile Curfew Ordinance. The second public hearing was part of the Regular Agenda during the weekly City Council meeting and was the first topic of discussion. Chief Floyd Mitchell previously presented a plan in the beginning of September showing the enforcement efforts which would involve a Curfew Center and a team of officers.

Parts of the ordinance seem to have had changes made with the biggest change being age going from 17 to 16. According to the City Ordinance that is being kept in place it will be unlawful for any person 16 years old or younger to be in a public place within the city between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day from Sunday to Thursday. The curfew would extend an hour from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturdays and nights before school holidays. This does not include summer vacation.

The plan is to have six officers work overtime during the summer months to provide direct enforcement of the ordinance Thursday through Saturday and staff the Curfew Center. The Curfew Center will be at the East Patrol Division Station in Lubbock and parents, legal guardians, or other responsible adults will have to pick up the juvenile as they cannot be held in the Curfew Center more than six hours. That adult might be questioned by authorities about the circumstances of the juveniles activities while both receive a ticket before they leave the station.

This Juvenile Curfew Ordinance does have a section that does sometimes go overlooked during the day prohibiting people 16 years old and younger to be in public spaces between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. during school days. Chief Mitchell did state that this plan was more than juvenile enforcement plan but an overall improvement of the quality of life in the city.